


Love's Labors Won

by Rachello344



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean Winchester Saves Castiel from the Empty, Fix-It, Getting Together, Happily Ever After, M/M, Minor Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Team Free Will 2.0 (Supernatural), Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:47:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28237950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachello344/pseuds/Rachello344
Summary: Previously on Supernatural:  After defeating God, Cas is still trapped in the Empty, and our heroes are separated from their respective loves.  Jack is in the ether.  Dean and Sam, alone together, get to work on bringing Cas back to them.  They can figure out the rest from there.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 7
Kudos: 81





	Love's Labors Won

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for all of my friends who were personally victimized by the Supernatural finale (you know who you are). And to a lesser degree for my own closure. I hope you guys like it! Happy Yule, and I hope "Season 16" treats you all well.

Dean stared up at his ceiling, thoughts whirling in endless circles, chasing sleep away. God replaced, free will reigning supreme, just him and Sam, alone together in the Bunker. No mission. Nothing forcing their way forward.

Dean took a long breath.

No Cas. Cas who loved him. Cas who died for him. Cas who smiled so sadly, who thought Dean didn’t...

Dean sat up, and hunched over. Cas didn’t know. Cas really didn’t know. All this time, and Dean never got to tell him. He never got to...

A knock rapped lightly on his door.

“Yeah?” Dean said, voice rough.

Sam opened the door and leaned against the jamb. “I can’t sleep,” he said.

“Join the club.” Dean dropped his head back down. “I didn’t tell you everything,” he admitted. “Before. When we lost... When Cas.” He took a breath. Let it out slowly. “When Cas sacrificed himself, Cas—he—” Dean forced himself to breathe and raised his head. He met Sam’s wary eyes. “Cas told me he loved me.”

Sam’s eyes went wide; tears welled up. “Did you...?”

Dean shook his head. “I didn’t get a chance. I was so shocked, and... He shoved me away, and then disappeared.” He felt tears prick at his eyes. “Sam, I never got to tell him. He never knew. I... Sam, I—”

Sam came inside and sat on the edge of Dean’s bed. “Dean, I’m so sorry.”

Dean laughed, but it was bitter. “I can’t just... leave it like this. I can’t, Sam. It’s not fair.”

“What can we do?” Sam asked, softly. “Do we know of a way to get to the Empty? Is there anything... Anything we can do to reach him?”

“That’s what’s been keeping me up,” Dean said. “I can’t think of anything, but there must be _something_. There must be... But only Jack ever managed anything. And now Jack is gone, and...” He laughed, desperate. “There’s nothing. I can’t think of anything.” He hit the bed, tears finally falling.

Sam pulled him in close. “I’ll start researching. Maybe... Maybe there’s something. Maybe we just haven’t found it yet.” He fisted his hand in the back of Dean’s shirt. “We won’t give up. Not until we find him.”

“What if... What if we never do?”

“We will. We _will._ ” Sam pulled back, determined. “And I won’t give up until you see him again. I will _never_ give up. I’ll have faith, even if you can’t.”

Dean gripped his shoulder. “Okay,” he said. “Okay. Let’s get to work.”

* * *

Dean dropped his newest attempt onto the table with a heavy sigh and a heavier thud. Months of research with no results. Dean wasn’t sure how much more he could take. The book landed open, pages flipping on their own and then settling. Dean stared down at the book. For a second, it was like he could feel Jack in the room with them. “Uh, Sam?” He kept staring. “I think I found something.”

Sam sat up from where he’d been in a despondent slouch. “What is it?”

“A spell,” Dean said, scanning the page. “I think.” He hesitated. “Maybe.” He winced. “It’s something, anyway, and it’s the first reference to the Empty I’ve ever seen. Assuming this is a reference to the Empty at all.”

Sam circled the table, leaning down to examine the page. His shoulders tensed. “Holy shit.” He looked at Dean, eyes bright. “Dean, I think this is it.”

Dean sucked in a breath. “What do we need to do?”

“I... I think we have everything in the Bunker.” Sam laughed. “I think I can do this spell. Dean, I think I can get you into the Empty.”

“Well,” Dean pushed to his feet, “what are we waiting for?”

* * *

Sam glanced over the book again, double checking his chalk, his bowl of herbs, everything he’d collected and prepared. Dean watched, gut churning.

“Sam, if this doesn’t work...”

“It will,” Sam said, not looking up. “It’ll work.”

“If I get stuck there,” Dean said, “I don’t want you to come in after me.”

Sam lifted his head. “Dean...”

“No, Sam, I mean it.” Dean let out his breath. “I don’t want to risk your life or happiness in pursuit of mine. I want... If I don’t get back, I want you to _live_ , Sammy.” He smiled. “I want you to live a good life. I want you to finally find Eileen.”

Sam flinched. “I didn’t think—”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Come on, Sammy, you really think I didn’t notice?” He grinned. “You’ve been texting her since we got back to the Bunker. You don’t need to keep away from her for my sake, you know. I want you to be happy, even if I...” _Even if I can’t be_.

“Dean, I can’t... I’m not going to give up on you, either.”

“If I can’t get Cas back... I don’t know if there’s anything left for me here.” He touched Sam’s shoulder. “I love you, Sammy, but without Cas... I can’t keep going like this. Not again. I’m not strong enough for that, not after everything.”

Sam let out a shaky breath. “I... I understand. I can’t make any promises, but... I won’t spend my whole life trying to get you back. That’s the best I can give you.”

Dean laughed. “Yeah, okay, fair enough, I guess. Everything ready?”

“I think so.” Sam stooped over the table, eyes clenched shut. He took a deep breath. “Okay.” Sam turned and tugged Dean into a tight hug. “You get our angel, and you bring him back here. Don’t leave without him.”

“You got it, boss.” Dean grinned, patting Sam’s back. “I love you, man. I’ll see you on the other side.”

“You better, jerk.”

“Bitch,” Dean returned. Letting go, Dean stepped into the spell circle. He turned to face Sam. “Wish me luck.”

“Luck.” Sam smiled weakly. And then he began to chant, the words flowing smooth and practiced. As he neared the end of his incantation, Sam lit a match and dropped it into the bowl he prepared. He looked up, meeting Dean’s eyes.

Dean blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he couldn’t see.

There was nothing.

Dean could see himself, but there was nothing else. He wasn’t sure how he was standing or what he was standing on, but here he was.

The darkness in front of him felt like it was _looking_ at him. And then Meg, the Empty, materialized in front of him.

“How did you _get_ here?” she snapped. “You’re not allowed to _be_ here.”

Dean stood up straighter. “I’m here for Cas. And I’m not leaving without him.”

Her eyes flashed, her fists clenched. “Everything was finally _quiet_. You must be _joking_.”

“I’m not.”

She stormed close to him, looming impossibly over him. “You’re _mortal_. You can’t _be here_.”

“But I am. Give me Cas, and we’ll get out of your slime.” He gave her a winning smile.

She snarled. “I can’t just _give him to you_.” She shoved him hard enough that he went flying. “ _He’s finally sleeping_ ,” she howled.

Dean pushed himself back to his feet, winded. “Then wake him up,” he coughed, “and we’ll be going.”

“No. _You_ wake him up.” Her eyes narrowed. “You find him and wake him up, and you can have him. You give up or fail, and the three of us all go back to sleep. And you stay forever.”

Dean shuddered. He swallowed. “You have a deal.”

She scoffed. “Whatever. Get going then.” And then she vanished. And there was nothing again. Nothing but the dark.

Dean picked a direction and started to walk through the nothing. He knew this was going to be difficult, but he hardly knew what he was supposed to do now. So he walked.

And walked.

And walked.

No matter where he looked, for what felt like miles and miles and _miles_ , everything was black. There was just... nothing. It reminded him of something he saw on a documentary once, that the reaches of space were more “nothing” than “something.” That you could float off in a direction forever, and never find another planet or moon or sun or anything.

Being unable to see anything was deeply disorienting. There was no difference when he closed his eyes. Unless he was looking at himself, there was just... nothing.

So Dean thought about Cas. Cas who was always there when he needed him. Cas who never turned his back on him. Cas who saw the worst of him and the best. Cas who loved him, after everything. After Hell and Purgatory and Metatron and Chuck and everything in between.

Dean was never going to give up on Cas. Not now that he’d made it this far.

There was no life worth living without Cas. Not for Dean. Cas was it. Cas was the only person who ever understood him, _saw_ him, and loved him anyway. Dean would never find that again. Not in this life or the next.

His heart clenched and tugged. Dean slowed to a stop. His heart pulled insistently to one side. When he turned in place, the pulling continued in the same direction. Dean followed the pull, hope swelling in his chest. The grip around his heart felt like Cas.

Dean kept walking. It might have been hours. It could have been days. Weeks. But still, he walked, following his heart.

Slowly, he could feel his energy fading, but he walked on. Cas was worth everything.

Even death.

Dean’s eyes drooped as he walked. He felt tired, down to his bones. More tired than he had ever felt. He put one foot in front of the other.

And then he finally saw something. Something tan. Dean’s heart leapt. His walk turned to a run, energy returning. He skidded to a halt and took in the first thing he’d seen since he started.

Cas. Messy hair and trench coat and all, eyes closed and face relaxed in a peaceful sleep. Dean dropped to his knees, swallowing thickly.

“Cas,” he breathed. “Cas, wake up. I’m here. I found you.” He touched Cas’s shoulder, shaking it lightly. “Cas.” But Cas slept on. Dean shook harder, heart pounding. “ _Cas_ , please, wake up.”

Cas didn’t stir, his chest didn’t move. He remained perfectly still.

Dean felt panic building in his chest. “Cas,” he begged. “Cas, buddy.” He took a shuddering breath, closing his eyes. What was he supposed to do? “You selfish son of a bitch. You can’t just... You can’t leave me again, Cas. I can’t do this without you.” He dropped his head, clutching Cas’s coat. His shoulders shook. “I’ve always needed you, Cas. You make me better. You make me _whole_.”

He lifted his head and looked at Cas’s peaceful face. He cupped his face, stroking his thumb against his cheek. Dean’s eyes traced over every detail, each one unnaturally still. So unlike the Castiel that Dean...

Dean’s eyes fell to Cas’s mouth. He sighed. “You really had to go and die without me. And without even letting me tell you...” Dean closed his eyes. “Cas, I’m not going to leave here without you. I love you.”

Dean bent his head and sealed their lips in a chaste kiss. Cas’s lips were cool against his, softer than a man’s lips had any right to be. Dean rested his forehead against Cas’s, his hand resting on his chest.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. Did he really come all this way just to fail?

His hand rose and fell. Dean startled, lifting his face. Blue pierced him to his core. A cool hand rested atop his. He gasped. Cas wiped away one of Dean’s tears.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas’s eyes were warmer than Dean had ever seen them, even in his bemusement. “Are you really here?”

“I came to get you.” Dean stroked his face. He was really awake. Dean could finally...

“You shouldn’t have—” Cas’s brow furrowed. “You kissed me.”

“I did,” Dean agreed. “Cas, I love you, too. I have for longer than I can remember now.” He laughed, rueful. Cas’s eyes were wide, wondering. “I thought your being an angel meant you could never feel for me what I feel for you. Imagine my shock.”

“Dean,” Cas sighed, squeezing his hand, “I thought telling you how I felt was my happiest moment, but this...”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed. Cas sat up, and Dean leaned back in. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Dean kissed him again, his cheeks warm. Cas’s smile made kissing difficult, but Dean could hardly blame him, not when his own answering smile was just as wide. Cas’s mouth was warm and perfect against his. Dean wanted to kiss Cas forever. He never wanted to stop.

“Oh, good. You found him!”

Dean and Cas pulled away. Jack was smiling brightly down at them.

“Jack?” Cas asked, “How are _you_ here?”

Jack smiled, benevolent. “I’m allowed to go wherever I like now. And I know I said I wasn’t going to be intervening, but it didn’t seem right to leave everything so... broken. In this world or any of the others.”

Cas looked at Dean, frowning, before he looked back up at Jack. “You... You absorbed God’s power. And... Amara?”

“That’s right.” Jack pressed a hand over his chest. “She’s always with me. She says ‘hello.’ But, Dean, now that you’ve found Cas, I can take you back to Sam. And then the Empty will finally be able to sleep again.”

Dean pushed himself to his feet and pulled Cas up after him.

Cas looked down at their hands where they were linked. He remembered a conversation long since past. “Jack, I promised Ruby I wouldn’t leave her here. Can you...?”

Jack seemed surprised, but he closed his eyes, concentrating. “Oh, she is awake. Well, that’s not good.” He crossed his arms. “Okay, I’ll take anyone who’s awake back out. Otherwise the Empty won’t be able to go back to sleep.”

Cas relaxed. “Thank you.”

Dean wrinkled his nose. “C’mon, Cas, _Ruby?_ ”

“I made a promise, Dean.”

He heaved a sigh, but let it go. It was hard to be bothered about things when he had Cas by his side again. Jack looked between them both and darted forward, hugging them both tightly. Dean wrapped an arm around him on reflex.

The was he ducked his head down against their chests reminded him suddenly of Ben, the way he’d hugged Dean when he was living with them.

Dean stroked a hand over Jack’s head. He really was still a child after all.

Cas seemed to be thinking something similar, his hand stroking Jack’s back. “Jack, you don’t have to do everything alone,” he said, voice low and soothing. “You can always come home. Whenever you want, for however long you want.”

Jack raised his head, eyes wide. “I can?”

Dean’s heart broke. “Of course you can, kid.” He shook his head. “God or not, you’re still a Winchester. You’re still one of us.”

Cas rested his hand on the top of Jack’s head. “Jack, you don’t have to be anyone but yourself. You... I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. I don’t want you to feel like you’re no longer anything but your duty. I want you to be happy.”

Jack blinked hard, like he couldn’t figure out what to do with that. He glowed briefly, and then Amara was standing beside him.

“I can keep an eye on everything,” she said, gently. “You should stay with your family. While you sleep, we’ll fix things together. But during the day, you’ll be simply human.”

Jack turned, wide-eyed. “We can do that?”

Amara rolled her eyes. “We’re divine, Jack. We can do anything.”

Jack beamed. Dean tugged him back against his chest. “Idiot,” he muttered, “you and your dad both, always making the sacrifice play.”

Cas shot him the flattest look he’d ever seen. “I guess we both learned from the best.”

“Okay, yeah, I deserved that.” Dean laughed and was pleasantly surprised when Cas and Jack joined in. When he glanced at Amara, she looked pleased.

She didn’t say anything, but Dean knew what she was thinking anyway. The anger that had burned in his chest for so long was finally gone. Banked into something warm and gentle. Loving. He was finally free of it all.

Jack’s smile was bright and eager and so, so young. “Can we go home?”

“Yes, Jack.” Cas smiled at them both. Dean squeezed his hand. “Let’s go home.”

They blinked, and then they were standing back in the Bunker where Dean and Sam had performed the spell. Sam was asleep in an armchair.

“Sammy, wake up” Dean said.

Sam floundered, jumping to his feet. His eyes went wide as he took everyone in. His eyes grew wet. “Cas, Jack...!” And then Sam was wrapping them all up in a tight hug. “Dean, how?”

“I found Cas, and Jack found us. Turns out he was homesick.” Dean couldn’t keep his grin down and didn’t want to. “Did you know he thought he couldn’t come home?”

Sam pulled back, horrified. “Jack, you can _always_ come home. We love you. We missed you!” He rested his hand on Jack’s head. “You’re family.”

Jack smiled shyly, scuffing his foot against the floor. “I know. I understand better what that means now, I think.”

“And Cas?” Sam asked, eager. “Did Dean finally...?”

“Yes,” Cas said. He was still holding Dean’s hand. Cas shot Dean a mischievous look, one Dean was sure the others wouldn’t recognize for what it was. “He woke me up with a kiss.”

Sam’s face split in a wide grin.

Dean groaned. “Oh, you just _had_ to tell him.”

“It was very romantic, Dean.” Cas’s expression hadn’t changed, but Dean could read the smugness in the familiar lines. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”

Dean sighed. “No.”

Sam’s glee was obvious. “My brother, the romantic.” He laughed. “I thought you hated chick flick moments!”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Well, this hardly counts. How else was I supposed to get my angel back? The Empty and I had a deal, and Cas wasn’t waking up.” Remembering his endless walk through nothing, Dean frowned. “How long was I gone?”

Sam winced. “Uh, it’s been a, uh. A week.”

“A _week_?”

“Sam?” a woman’s voice called from the hallway. Eileen rounded the corner, her face lighting up. “Dean! Cas! Jack!” She rushed over, signing quickly at Sam. She hugged each of them in turn. Miracle trotted in after her, tail wagging like crazy.

“Eileen,” Dean greeted. He grinned at Sam. “So you finally found her, huh?”

Eileen scoffed. “ _I_ found him,” she said.

“She did,” Sam laughed. “She showed up a few days ago. Said I was taking too long.”

Eileen pressed herself against Sam’s side, love in her eyes. Dean felt something inside himself finally relax and release. Sammy was gonna be just fine, now. They all were. He glanced at Jack, kneeling to pet Miracle, tugging on her soft ears.

Cas squeezed his hand. “Can we go outside? I want to feel the sun on my skin.”

Dean nodded quickly. “Do we have food? I’m starving.”

“Eileen, Jack, and I will cook. You two go.” Sam winked. “Enjoy the sun.”

* * *

Dean and Cas sat on the hood of the Impala, leaning back, their faces tilted toward the sun. Cas’s hand was warm beneath Dean’s.

“I think... I want to remove my grace,” Cas said.

Dean sat up. “Really?”

Cas didn’t turn his face away from the sky, eyes tracking over the clouds. “Yes. I’ve never really... I only wanted to stay an angel because it was... I thought it was what you wanted from me.”

Dean squeezed his hand, guilt clogging his throat.

“No, Dean, it isn’t your fault. Circumstances...” He gave a rueful smile. “We needed me at full strength, but now...”

“I’ve been thinking about retiring,” Dean said.

Cas looked surprised. “Retiring? From hunting?”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m getting older, and... I’ve always been resigned to hunting. It was never something I chose to do. Not willingly.” He turned to face Cas. “We don’t have to fight anymore,” Dean said, heart pounding. “Never again, if we don’t want to.”

Cas’s smile was small, but Dean could practically feel the joy rolling off Cas in waves. “I’d like that, Dean.” He turned his hand over, lacing their fingers together. “What would we do instead?”

Dean laughed. “Anything we want.”

Cas leaned in, their lips meeting softly once, twice. Dean gripped the back of Cas’s head, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. He could have this, he realized. Cas was really here. Cas loved him. Between kisses, Cas stroked his hands over Dean’s shoulders, arms, back, sides, like he couldn’t believe it was real either.

“Will you do it?” Cas asked him with a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Will I what?” Dean asked, dizzy from holding his breath and considering the merits of skipping dinner.

“Will you remove my Grace?” Cas pulled back, caressing his cheek. “I want it to be you.”

Dean swallows thickly. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. If you do it... I think it won’t hurt, if it’s you.” Cas’s eyes shining. His angel blade slid out of his sleeve and into his free hand.

Dean’s eyebrows rose. “Right now?”

“I don’t want to waste another moment.” Cas’s eyes dropped. “Even being an angel wasn’t enough to stop me loving you, but... It does dampen everything.”

Dean took the blade. “Hang on.” He hopped off the hood and opened the trunk. He rifled through its contents until he found what he was looking for: a small bottle. Just large enough to hold an angel’s grace.

When he stepped back into Cas’s sight, Cas understood what he meant to do at once. He smiled. “There’s no need to save it, Dean. I won’t want it back.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “And what if I want to keep it?” He stepped up between Cas’s legs. He looked up, unable to explain himself further.

Cas, blue eyes bright with understanding, took Dean’s hand, fingers closing around the bottle. “Then you can keep it.”

Dean reached up with the blade, hesitating at Cas’s neck. Cas dropped his head back, baring his throat to Dean. Dean took a deep breath before he pressed the blade against the skin, cutting as cleanly and painlessly as he knew how.

The wispy blue light dripped from the cut, seeping out, glowing brightly in the setting sun. Cas grit his teeth, hissing out a sharp breath. Dean caught his grace in the bottle, stopping the top when it was finished. He kissed the side of Cas’s neck.

“Let’s get inside, and I’ll patch you up, huh, angel?”

Cas was frowning down at him, Dean’s favorite crease between his brows. “I am no longer an angel, Dean.”

Dean grinned. “You’ll always be my angel, Cas.”

* * *

Dean couldn’t seem to stop smiling. Cas’s hands were warm on his waist and in his own hand. The music was jazzy and warm, and Dean hummed along, giving Cas a twirl. Cas rolled his eyes.

“You’re enjoying this more than I expected.”

Dean shrugged, but didn’t argue. “I always knew I might be a good dancer. Just couldn’t find the right partner.”

“Until now?” Cas asked, eyebrows raised.

“Until now,” he confirmed.

Sam and Eileen were still dancing somewhat out of time. Sam had never looked happier, and Eileen looked _radiant_ in her dress. Dean watched them over Cas’s shoulder, relief and contentment washing through him.

Sam was going to be all right. And so was Dean.

Jack laughed loudly, drawing Dean’s attention. Jody’s girls were teaching Jack the most recent dances, and Jack was only really picking up about half of them with any grace. Dean squeezed Cas’s hand.

“This might just be the best day of my life,” Dean said. “I’m not dreaming, am I? We weren’t hunting a Djinn?”

Cas pinched his waist, hard.

Dean yelped.

“I’ve been led to believe feelings of pain mean it can’t be a dream,” Cas said, “and I doubt a Djinn would have let me step on your toes all those times.”

“Have I told you today that I love you?”

“Yes. This is the fifteenth.” Cas looked smug, like it was only his due. It was looked good on him. “And I love you, too.”

The song changed to something a bit quicker, something Dean had never heard before. “I love this song,” Dean cheered, pulling Cas into something resembling a quick waltz.

Cas shook his head. “You are ridiculous, Dean Winchester.” But Cas didn’t let go of his hand. And he couldn’t keep the smile off his face, either.

After the reception finally slowed to a lazy end, after waving Sam and Eileen off to enjoy their honeymoon, Dean and Cas slid into the Impala, Jack toppling into the backseat. Dean grinned at Cas, warmth filling him to the brim. “Where do you want to go, handsome?”

Cas shook his head with a soft laugh. “Home, Dean. Let’s go home.”

“As you wish.”


End file.
